Home players rise to the top in schools competition

Haverhill Golf Club witnessed home winners in the girls’ and boys’ nett competitions at the Suffolk Schools Western Region Championship.

There were 36 competitors in the medal competition and another 11 juniors taking part in the beginners 10 hole event last Wednesday.

Haverhill’s Tom Turner, of Samuel Ward, carded a nett 61 to take the overall prize in the Boys’ Nett Competition, slashing his handicap by six shots to 19 under the exceptional score reduction. The runner-up was Henry Day (Thomas Gainsborough) with 66.

In the Girls’ Nett Competition the winner was Haverhill’s Fiona Stokes (County Upper) with a nett 67.

Her round included two birdies and an eagle on the par five 10th hole, and she reduced her handicap by two shots to 14.

The individual Boys’ Scratch Competition was won by Harvey Watts (Stour Valley) with a gross score of 75, while the runner-up was Jude Everitt (Culford) with a gross 78.

The winner of the Team Competition with 68 points (best two from three Stableford points to count) was County Upper School, and the runner-up with 67 was Culford School.

In the 0-15 handicap Stableford competition, the winner was Alex Earle (County Upper) with 35pts, and the runner-up James Cooper (Ormiston, Sudbury) with 33pts on count-back.

In the 16-28 handicap Stableford competition, the winner was Georgia Parker (Culford) with 39pts, and the runner-up was Ollie Page (Thomas Gainsborough) with 34pts.

In the over 28 handicap competition the winner was Rio Everitt (Finborough) and in the Beginners Competition the winner was Harvey Sandry (County Upper), and the runner-up was James Johnson (Finborough).

Event organiser Adrian Pitt gave the prize presentation afterwards and commended everyone for taking part on such an unbearably hot day. He went onto to thank Haverhill’s junior organiser, Doreen Darbey, who assisted on the day and all the parents for their support.

n Club Captain Rob Viney hosted his Captain’s Day on Sunday with an impressive field of 108 taking part.

The format varied with holes 1-6 played as greensomes, holes 7-12 as foursomes and holes 13-18 as individual Stableford, with both scores to count.

The winners were Mark Wray and Kevin Snow with 62pts. In second place were Roger Turner and Scott Turner with 55pts and in third place were Jamie Morse and Steve Brooks with 54pts.

Nearest The Pin for the men on the 16th was won by Ivan Drury and Nearest The Pin In Two on the 18th was won by Mary Sail.

Special prizes were awarded to the highest score by a husband/wife pairing which was won by Chris and John Grainger, while the best score for a pair including a junior was won by Dan and Carl Walker and the best score for the team with two ladies was won by Linda Alexander and Mary Sail.

Viney gave the prize presentation and went onto thank all the volunteers who assisted him on the day, announcing that £208 was raised for his charity through selling ‘Mulligans’ (to retake golf shots), and the proceeds will go to the National Autistic Society.

n Haverhill (37pts) will have to wait until all the league scores are in to see whether they have done enough to qualify for the Curry Cup semi-finals, after completing their league fixtures with a 9-9 home draw with The Essex on Saturday.

n The Saturday Medal, played at the weekend, was won by Gerry Wheatley with a nett 71, whle in second place on count-back was Anna Fairhead with a nett 82 and in third place was Pauline Calmet with a nett 82.

n Haverhill Ladies competed in their midweek medal last Wednesday. Despite the sweltering conditions, some excellent scores were returned with Linda Alexander continuing her recent form to win, carding a nett 69, trimming her handicap by a shot to 24.

In second place was Gerry Wheatley with a nett 73 and in third place Chris Grainger with a nett 76.

n Haverhill Seniors contested the Alfa Romeo Shield on March 30 with the men retaining the trophy against the ladies after a friendly draw, as a result of previously holding it.